Thursday, October 8, 2015

My Shoe Dilemma!

What day is it?I keep thinking it's still Wednesday!!Happy Thursday! Happy Friday Eve friends :)Yesterday, I mentioned I was having a shoe dilemma... It has been a little nutty trying to figure out the right shoe for me. Thank goodness my local (awesome!) running store has a very generous policy of letting you take the shoes for a run and if it doesn't work out, you can simply exchange them. No questions asked.

Brooks Ghost 8

If you are ever in Santa Monica, check out Top to Top running store. It is a true store for runners. They have a huge array of running shoes, clothing, gear and books - you could spend hours in there and never get bored. Plus every employee is a runner and they have a wealth of knowledge! I love that they also have a weekly running group. Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM you will see a big group of runners talking, laughing and then going on a great run together. I used to go all the time and it's really fun. (No, they didn't pay me to say any of this, I'm just a big fan of this store!) :)My shoe story started on Tuesday. I decided to purchase a new pair of shoes. I am currently rotating between the Brooks Ghost 7 and the Launch 2. I have been running in Brooks for a few years now. I used to run in only Saucony and at some point switched to Brooks. With that said, I am always open to trying new brands of shoes. I think over time I just bought what I knew worked for me and didn't dedicate time to searching for a different brand of shoe. I do know Asics and Nike haven't been good for me in the past, so I have steered away from those brands...After running around the store a few times, I decided to give the brand new Ghost 8 a try. I immediately felt like the heel was a bit bulkier than the Ghost 7, but I didn't think it would be a problem.

I purchased the shoes, left the store and immediately went for a 4 mile run.

How did they hold up?

Wow. It was not super fun! I was very surprised, but the shoe felt too bulky and I felt like it was a big effort to run in them. I compared it to putting a ton of bubble gum in your mouth and trying to talk.

Very awkward.

I kept thinking that the run would feel better, but unfortunately it didn't. I finished the run and went right back to the store to exchange them.

What did I try next?

Brooks Pure Flow 4

I have heard so many good things about these beauties! When I tried them on they were very light, yet they had a good amount of cushion in the heel. With the 4 mm midsole drop (7 oz weight), I was curious as to how my body would react to my foot being that close to the ground. The Ghost 7 has a 12 mm midsole drop (8.6 oz weight) and the Launch 2 has a 10 mm drop (7.9 oz weight).

I decided to give them a whirl and took them out on Wednesday for a 5 mile run.

Humm...they felt good, but I kept thinking during the run that I would probably just reserve these for speed work (tempo, mile repeats and track sessions) and use another shoe for every day and long runs.

That night I had some aches that I hadn't had before and I am not saying it was from the Pure Flows, but I just had a nagging feeling that I shouldn't run in these anymore.

Sooo, off I went back to the store today to exchange them for the Brooks Launch 2!

I know this shoe and I love it. I bought the Boston edition pair this spring and tried it out for the first time in August. Love this shoe! Comfortable, with just enough cushion (but not too much) - I could run many, many miles in this shoe.

I am also going to purchase another pair of the Ghost 7, which I first tried last fall and immediately loved!

Last fall was a huge change for me, in that I had been running in a stability shoe, when I really needed a neutral shoe. ----> a big game changer!

So there you have it. If you are looking for a neutral shoe with medium cushioning and a smooth ride, you can't go wrong in the Launch 2 or the Ghost 7.

I am also excited to run outside the box and try some other brands as well!!